Greetings, everyone! We are thrilled to share an interview with one of the A Sidewalk Stroll actors who also directed this production. In addition to her wonderful work in our Theatre for the Very Young program, she also serves as one of Encore’s fantastic teaching artists, as well as being an Encore alum herself. Please welcome Rachel Hynes!
Encore: Welcome to Encore’s Front Row blog! We’re so excited to learn more about A Sidewalk Stroll. What was your primary inspiration for the creation of this play?
Rachel: My two-year old nephew, Leon! When he visits, we go to the park; I noticed that we spend just as much time looking at things on the way as we do playing at the park.
Encore: Could you briefly walk us through the process of devising a new piece for the theatre?
Rachel: The point of departure could be anything—a word, an image, an event, a character. Then, you have fun exploring! A Sidewalk Stroll started with an idea about a baby bear who would get frustrated all of the time. As I began to explore what situations Baby Bear might find herself in, I discovered that I was actually interested in was identifying emotions, and acknowledging that lots of different emotions happen over the course of a day—even on a walk to the park! The cast and I improvised different ways to get to the park, things that Arlington kids might see on the way and emotional reactions they might have. From these improvisations, we created the journey that our kids would go on. It’s a little bit like cooking—you have all the ingredients, it’s just a question of how you put them together to make the best play possible.
Encore: Are there any considerations you take into account, given that the target audience includes preschoolers and their families?
Rachel: Absolutely. You always have to think about the world from their perspective, how they experience things; so the size of objects may seem huge to adults, but that may be how a preschooler experiences the object. I also think a lot about time—what’s too long for a preschooler? What is too short? Mostly, I think about whether or not it’s fun. If I’m not having fun, neither will our audiences.
Encore: What’s been the best part of the rehearsal process?
Rachel: Working with Adrian and Ruthie and the staff at Encore! We’ve all laughed a lot.
Encore: What do you enjoy most about performing for young people?
Rachel: They are the best audiences. Young people get involved in the performance and are really invested in the outcome. I also love the post-show time when our audiences get to come on stage and explore the props in the show. It’s amazing to watch them play and explore the colorful pool noodles or work up the bravery to touch the spider puppet, or even make the spider puppet crawl on the web.
Encore: Could you describe A Sidewalk Stroll in five words or short phrases.
Rachel:
1. A colorful jumble of fun
2. Emotions abound
3. Hopping, running, stomping
4. Imagination carries you everywhere
5. Curiosity is the best toy
Encore: Any advice for the parents of first-time theatre-goers?
Rachel: Come and enjoy!
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us, Rachel! If you’ve got little ones in your life, be sure to catch A Sidewalk Stroll at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church before it strolls away for good this weekend! To purchase your tickets, please click here.
Photos by Aileen Pangan and Shannon McCarthy
Blog contributor: Shannon McCarthy, 2016-17 Arts Apprentice